Rob Price
Gutbrain Records
rob + gutbrain.com = email

2023 May 01 • Monday

Happy May Day! Should we celebrate with an Italian zombie movie? That's what I think Virus: Apocalipsis Canibal is. Whatever the case, it's out 776th Soundtrack of the Week! The music is mostly by Gianni Dell'Orso but there are also some tracks from Luis Bacalov's score for Diamanti sporch di sangue and Goblin's music for the films Zombi (a.k.a. Dawn of the Dead and Contamination.

The opening track, "Virus (Progressione Tensiva)" is a great blend of reverby hand percussion and long string tones.

Then we get Bacalov's synth-heavy, propulsive and energetic "Diamanti Rossi (Titoli di Testa)", which has both disco energy and car chase energy.

Goblin comes next with "L'alba dei morti viventi", one of the absolute classic cues from Zombi, with a slow-burning and ominous rhythm track creating the perfect atmosphere for a great melody.

Then Gianni returns with a cool hand percussion feature, "Virus (Tam Tam)".

Antoher Goblin track, "Connexion", this time from Contamination, comes next. It's a great electro-groove with a lush texture.

"Virus (Inseguimento)" finds Dell'Orso in a kind of groovy and happy mood with buoyant hand percussion assisted by bass and drum kit while a sunny melody flies above, using different synth sounds.

Hand percussion dominates "Virus (Festa Notturna)", which has more of a Brazilian groove, or so it sounds to me, with a less bright synth melody accompanying.

Then it's time for snare drum and timpani for the serious and militaristic "Virus (Rullante per Marcia)".

Goblin comes back after that for "Whity", a patient and moody track from "Contamination" which uses delay effectively and exploits the potential of a simple and steady rhythmic pulse.

Then Dell'Orso's "Virus (Tam Tam Festosi) continues the feel of "Virus (Tam Tam)" and "Virus (Momento di Relax)" is a wacky, cartoonish comedy type cue.

Two more Goblin tracks close the album, the awesome "Zombi", which needs no further description, I'm sure, and "Quiet Drops" from Contamination, which is a sensitive love theme featuring piano.